Support underwear

ABSTRACT

An improved garment, more particularly a men&#39;s undergarment for use during horse riding and other high-impact sports, or other activities. This invention serves to position and maintain the penis of the user in an upright, vertical position, thereby protecting the user&#39;s genitals from injury and discomfort, regulating temperature, potentially preventing bladder leakage. The garment is comprised mainly of a waistband and a main undergarment body, as well as a positioning strap which is transversely attached to the front interior face of the undergarment body, providing accommodation and support for the vertical placement of the penis of the user.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a garment, and more particularly to sportswear, swimwear or a men's undergarment for sports such as horse riding or racing and also for common daily activities, which maintains the penis in an upward vertical position to protect the user's genitals from injury and discomfort, moderate temperature, and potentially prevent bladder leakage.

Generally, conventional men's undergarments and sportswear serve only to cover and support the male genitalia, without adequate regard to positioning and comfort of the male reproductive organs. They do not address the precise issues faced by horse riders and many other athletes, or by those who have to remain in a seated position for long periods of time. Though this may be suitable for some day-to-day activities, high-impact sports may require additional functionalities to improve the performance and comfort of the user. Also, especially in the Summer, the crotch area tends to get warm and sweaty. This can be a particular problem when one has to remain seated for a period of time. Current undergarments do not help to moderate the temperature in the crotch area and enhance comfort.

In particular, a comfortable garment is necessary that can maintain the penis vertically upward during various activities. Moreover, prior undergarments directed to use for sports have incorporated padding, straps and layering making them cumbersome to use and difficult to manufacture. Moreover, the padding and additional layers can serve to exacerbate the problems with higher temperature in the crotch area. These products are also more costly and complicated in construction. Thus, support underwear that is easy and straightforward to use and manufacture is also needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the applicant has conceived of a new and useful article of clothing, more specifically a men's sportswear or undergarment for sports such as horse riding or racing and for other activities. The present invention provides a simple way of achieving the desired functions of maintaining the penis in a vertical position, providing comfort, moderating temperature, and preventing injury during high-impact sports like horse riding or when seated for periods of time.

The applicant's invention proposes the use of a positioning band to maintain the penis in an upward direction, which in one embodiment is an elastic strap located at the interior front face of the garment. Preferably, the positioning band is secured at its ends in a transverse direction, allowing the penis to be secured vertically between the band and the front fabric of the undergarment while in use. In an alternative embodiment, the positioning band is covered at least in part by a fabric layer, which can help prevent direct skin contact with the band, and may make the undergarment more comfortable to wear.

Moreover, one or more embodiments of the present invention allow for simplicity of the design, and for easier manufacture and use of the garment. With only one fabric layer making up the undergarment body, and a conventional waistband , the proposed undergarment can be manufactured much like traditional undergarments. The primary modification, the positioning band in the front interior of the garment, will not substantially complicate the manufacture or use of the product.

It is important to note that the term undergarment as used in this summary may encompass sportswear, swimwear or underwear in a range of styles, including briefs, boxer briefs, trunks, shorts, etc. Similarly, the positioning band, for the purpose of this invention, may manifest itself as strip of varying length, width and elasticity, provided it allows room for the user's penis to pass through, and can reliably maintain the upward position of the penis.

For a more in-depth understanding of the present invention, a brief description of the attached drawings is provided below, along with a more detailed description of selected embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an undergarment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a reverse (inside out) view of the undergarment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the positioning strap of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the positioning strap of FIG. 2 with a center portion having a narrower diameter.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the positioning strap according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a sectional view of the positioning strap of FIG. 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the undergarment 10 which, in this embodiment, comprises at least a waistband 12 and an undergarment body 14, which together serve to secure the garment around the waist of the user and cover the genitalia, groin, and buttocks of the user. Moreover, the undergarment body comprises an entry end 16 defined by the waistband 12, and two lower leg openings 18 opposite the entry end.

FIG. 2 is a reversed “inside-out” view of undergarment 10, showing the internal structure of positioning band 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, undergarment 10 incorporates a positioning band 20 inside the undergarment, which in one embodiment is an elastic band sewn onto the interior front face of undergarment body 14. Preferably, positioning band 20 is attached to the interior of the undergarment in a transverse direction across the middle of the garment, so that the penis can be securely positioned upward through the band at a comfortable height relative to the user. As shown in the detail of FIG. 3, positioning band 20 is attached at its end edges 22 onto the interior front face of undergarment 10, so that the center of the band may be separated from the undergarment's fabric body, thereby allowing room for the user's penis to be positioned between the band and undergarment body 14. In an embodiment, positioning band 20 is attached by sewing the end edges 22 onto the interior front portion of undergarment body 14 so that the band is fixed in a transverse position, but it may be attached by other means, including adhesives and other bonding methods applied at the same location near the end edges 22.

In one or more embodiments, the band 20 will have a width that is shorter than its length. A certain width is required to secure the penis and apply pressure over a broad enough surface area to avoid discomfort. However, the band should not be too wide or it will be too difficult to position the penis inside the band during use and the additional material will contribute to retaining heat. FIG. 4 shows an alternative band 20′ where the end edges 22′ have one width allowing for adequate attachment of the band to the undergarment body. A center portion 21′ of the band 20′ has a narrower width to reduce the amount of material that will cover the user's penis and therefore minimize heat retention. It should be understood that other band shapes or profiles may also be used so as to accomplish these purposes.

In some embodiments, positioning band 20 is composed of an elastic material which allows for vertical positioning of the penis without restricting blood flow or sacrificing the comfort of the user. The elastic material may be rubber, latex, Lycra, or other appropriate elastic fabrics that provide for some flexibility. The material may also be selected with comfort in skin contact in mind. An elastic material also allows positioning band 20 to accommodate for a wider range of male genitalia, without the need for variable sizing of the positioning band, or the adjustment of the length of the positioning band. However, it should be understood that a band capable of being adjusted in length could be used in the present invention.

FIG. 5A shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in which positioning band 20 is covered by a fabric layer 24 on one or more if its sides, to make wearing the undergarment more comfortable. As shown in FIG. 5B, in one or more embodiments fabric layer 24 covers both the front and back face of the band, to avoid all skin contact with the material of positioning band 20. This allows for selection of a wider range of elastic materials for the band itself, as the covering fabric layer may be chosen to enhance skin comfort and be positioned so that it will contact the skin of the user rather than the band material. In some embodiments, fabric layer 24 is integral to the surrounding fabric of undergarment body 14; in others, fabric layer 24 is formed using a separate piece of fabric, which is attached by sewing or otherwise adhering the fabric layer to the undergarment. Fabric layer 24 can be composed of the same fabric material as undergarment body 14, but may be made of a similarly elastic fabric, which is comfortable for skin contact during extended wear.

The present invention in one or more embodiments is easy to manufacture and simple to use. In use, it may serve to keep the penis in an upward position separated from the other portions of the male genitalia and from the sides of the wearer's crotch. This promotes comfort and helps to keep the crotch area cooler. It may also help to prevent bladder leakage.

It should be understood that the embodiments described herein are intended to illustrate the principles of the present invention, but not limit the invention to the disclosed embodiments. Therefore, various modification and alterations may be made to the undergarment, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as outlined in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An undergarment comprising: a waistband portion, wherein the waistband portion wraps around the waist of a user and secures the undergarment; an undergarment body portion, having a front interior face that covers the genitalia of the user; a positioning band, wherein the band is in the shape of a strip and located at the front interior face of the undergarment body portion of the undergarment, facing the user.
 2. The undergarment according to claim 1, wherein the undergarment body portion covers the genitalia, groin, and/or buttocks of the user.
 3. The undergarment according to claim 1, wherein the positioning band is sewn into the undergarment at its ends, thereby forming a space between the positioning band and the undergarment body for placement of the penis.
 4. The undergarment according to claim 1, wherein the positioning band is covered by a fabric layer on one or more of its sides.
 5. The undergarment according to claim 1, wherein the positioning band is an elastic material, including rubber, elastane, polyester, and/or blends thereof
 6. The undergarment according to claim 1, wherein the undergarment is integral to a larger garment, covering part or all of the legs or torso of the user.
 7. The undergarment according to claim 1, wherein the positioning band has a central portion that is narrower in width than end portions of the strip. 